How Dates Are Added To Coins

Hi,

I knew I had this somewhere.

This is by another Lincoln Cent expert. Yes, there are experts. We do indeed have some here on this forum.

In any case, David W. Lange is well respected as well by numismatic researchers, the world over.

From a series of articles in the NUMISMATIST, the magazine for the American Numismatic Association, December 2007 edition, pg 23, "Dancing With Dates, Part 1" where David, who is a noted author of many books not limited to but including "The Complete Guide to Lincoln Cents" gives us the information that I was seeking pertaininig to the placing of dates on coins.

I quote:

"With the introduction of the Saint-Gaudens gold eagles ($10) and double eagles ($20) in 1907, the date was included in the artists sculpted model. It was transferred mechanically through the various stages of die preparation so that all working dies carried dates of identical size, style and position. When preparing the next year's dies, the engraver would grind the obsolete numerals off the hub, sink a new die from the altered hub and then hand-engrave the new numerals into it, mimicking the size and style created by the sculptor. This became the master die for that year, and all working hubs and dies were generated from it."

David Continues:

"This technique was applied only to new designs as they were introduced, so existing series such as the Liberty Head nickel and Barber silver coins did not have sculpted dates." "By 1917, the technique of punching dates became a thing of the past for regular issue, U.S. coins, though it survived for years afterward on some of the Mint's other coinage, such as that produced for the Philippines."

This is the most recent information on the subject.

This also sounds very familiar. I think CC and I basically laid this out but here is the same thing from another well respected expert on Lincoln cents.

Thanks,
Bill